Idiom
keep the home fires burning
Meaning
To maintain daily routine and provide the necessities of life in a home or community.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“I will keep the home fires burning while you travel for work.”
“With her husband deployed overseas, she stayed behind to keep the home fires burning for their three young children.”
“While the rest of the community sought fortune in the distant gold fields, he remained in the village to keep the home fires burning for those who could not leave.”
Examples
simple
“I will keep the home fires burning while you travel for work.”
contextual
“With her husband deployed overseas, she stayed behind to keep the home fires burning for their three young children.”
complex
“While the rest of the community sought fortune in the distant gold fields, he remained in the village to keep the home fires burning for those who could not leave.”
Origin
A reference to keeping campfires, lights, etc. at one's home village burning, often while part of the population travels elsewhere to hunt, etc.
Key words
Related idioms
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